Chard and saffron omelettes

Chard are wonderful leaves belong to the same family as beets. When picked small they make a great contribution to leafy salads, both in flavor and with their magnificent red hue. But it is the large, mature deep-green leaves - with stalks ranging from white, to yellow, to red and orange - that I love so much. They are in season from June to August, and have a sharp and earthy flavor, not too dominant but perfectly recognizable. Both chard stalks and leaves are edible, although the stalks normally take a bit longer to cook. In most cases I slice the stalks thinly and the leaves a bit wider, then throw the stalks into a pan and sauté or blanch for 3 minutes before adding the leaves and cooking through. Here, though, I start them off together as they are cooked for a long time anyway.

1/2 lb (1 medium) waxy potato, peeled and cut into 3/8-inch dice

1 cup water

pinch of saffron threads

3/4 lb Swiss chard (stalks and leaves), shredded

salt and pepper

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 garlic clove, crushed

5 eggs

1/4 cup milk

2/3 cup chopped herbs (tarragon, dill, parsley)

vegetable oil

1/2 cup creme fraiche, cold

• Put the potatoes, water and saffron in a large pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 4 minutes, then add the chard and some salt and pepper. Continue cooking, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potato is soft. Drain out any excess liquid that is left in the pan. Off the heat, add the lemon juice and garlic. Leave to cool.
• Whisk together well the eggs, milk, herbs and some salt and pepper. Pour 1 teaspoon of oil into a hot, 9-inch nonstick frying pan, then use one-quarter of the egg mix to make a thin round omelette. Transfer to paper towels. Make three more omelettes in the same way. Leave to cool down.
• Divide the cold creme fraiche among the omelettes, spreading it over one half of each. Taste the chard mix and adjust the seasoning, then spread generously over the creme fraiche. Fold each omelette over in half, then fold again to get a fan shape. Allow the chard mix to show at the open side. Arrange the omelettes in a lightly oiled ovenproof dish or on a baking sheet. (Keep in the fridge if making ahead.) When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 325 F. Place the omelettes in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes, or until hot. Serve at once.

Serves 4